Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I certainly share the Member’s enthusiasm when it comes to growing – pardon the pun – our agricultural industry here in the Northwest Territories and supporting the local production of fish and meats. Very important for us here in the Northwest Territories.
We’ve had some real opportunity I think through the Growing Forward Program funding that’s come to us from the federal government to advance initiatives around the Northwest Territories. We’ve got the Small Scale Foods Program in northern agri-foods, inter-settlement trade, traditional harvesting and commercial wildlife. Also, I’ve seen it first hand when I travelled to the Sahtu and was on a tour with Doug Whiteman in the Sahtu, a gentleman who grows tons of potatoes in Norman Wells and raises chickens. He also processes wild meat at a facility in Norman Wells. It was very, very impressive. That type of ingenuity and hard work, if it could make its way into a number of other communities around the Northwest Territories, I think that would really help on the cost of food in some of our smaller communities.
When I was in Fort Simpson just the other day with Mr. Menicoche, we were staying at the same bed and breakfast as two young ladies who were working for ITI as part of the Community Gardens Initiative and they were on their way to Wrigley to plant a garden for the community. It’s efforts like that that I think will make a real difference. On the food security issue, I’ll go to Deputy Minister Vician just for an update on that.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Vician.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In addition to the Minister’s comments, we are continuing to work closely through these contribution arrangements to ensure there are elements of food security built into the programs that a number of our operators are bringing forward across the North. We’re also working with the federal government through the Growing Forward Program which does require oversight with regard to how our food production standards are being brought forward.
For the benefit of committee, we’ve had a very successful year in 2011-2012 with full disbursement of the contribution funds that you note on 12-34 and anticipate fully subscribed allocation that deals with all regions of the territory and all types of food supply, fish, poultry, reindeer, garden produce, and dealing with that whole spectrum. It’s very exciting and very much a very valuable program of the department, and we’re expecting as much success this year by the enthusiasm we’re already hearing this month.
Thank you, Mr. Vician. Mr. Bromley.
It’s clear that I have lots of colleagues that share your enthusiasm for this real high potential area. I agree that there are a lot of amazing and wonderful entrepreneurs out there. I noted that they also play a big role in the communities for sharing their expertise. They’re all very much outgoing that way and are real nodes and worthy of our support. I’m very glad to hear that this is fully supported.
I guess maybe just to move on here. Are these $300,000 essentially federal dollars? Are those the going forward or is that in addition to that? I’m wondering what that amount would be.
I’m also – just to get my questions in all together here – wondering if there’s been success on the work to get in place a mushroom enterprise, the guidelines for mushroom enterprises in terms of permits and so on. Where we’re at on that. I believe work was started in the 16th Assembly on that and if we do have a big fire year, and we had some fires, last year there could be again hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of mushrooms that would be exported from the NWT, or transported at any rate. Last time most of the people benefitting were from outside the NWT. We want to capture that in the North as well.
My final one is with regard to the fish program of support. I know my colleague from Hay River South had a suggestion. I’d love to see local people taking advantage of this industry and I wonder if we have a mentorship support program in the fishing industry. Something that allows young people to get out with the fishermen, experience the program, even on a short-term basis to help solicit interest in that industry.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. We’ll go to Mr. Vician.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll speak first to the Member’s question with regard to the funding that’s reflected on page 12-34 on the agricultural and meat and fish programming. Those funds are GNWT budget allocations. They are stand-alone. So that’s the GNWT making that investment. They’re used as part of the leverage to draw – and if you refer to page 12-38 there’s $369,000 from Growing Forward Program, which is what we call a vote 4/5, work on behalf of others. That’s the federal contribution proposed for this year under Growing Forward Program, which sunsets, I should mention at this point, March 31, 2013. We use the leverage to show our equity share and these two programs continue on.
If I may on the fishing side, we continue to support the Fishermen’s Federation in the Northwest Territories through a number of programs. Those programs help the operators deal with capital ongoing support programs. We don’t have a specific mentorship program with the FFMC, Great Slave Lake fishery; however, we know a number of the operators are working with young people, trying to encourage them to take on the lifestyle, to work on the boats for the seasons and in the winter. It’s an ongoing effort and obviously a challenge not just uniquely here. It’s everywhere trying to continue the labour market in this fishery area.
Thank you, Mr. Vician. I believe there’s also a question on mushroom farming as well. We’ll move to Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a comment on the idea that the Member had in the area of mushrooms. If it is a bad fire year and there is an opportunity there to harvest mushrooms, that is a great business opportunity and could be a business opportunity for a number of communities around the Northwest Territories. If there are interested parties in those communities that want to come forward and apply for some of the funding that we have at ITI, we’d really like to see that happen. Back in 2011-2012 Arctic Morels Canada had gotten some funding from us. A small amount of funding, but I think there would be opportunities there and I think that it’s good that the Member brought that up, because it’s an area that often gets overlooked and we could see some communities harvesting mushrooms and we’d love to help them do that.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bromley.
That’s great. I appreciate the Minister’s and the deputy minister’s remarks there. I think there might be a need for some coordination with ENR, which I would appreciate if the Minister would take that on.
Just in terms of the mentorship, it’s so important, I think, to get young people exposed to these opportunities at a time when they can get turned on to different industries. If there was a possibility, I would appreciate if the Minister would keep his eye open for a potential to support some sort of mentorship program to get young people exposed to that possibility. That’s all I had, just a comment.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley, for that comment. Members, we’re on page 12-32, page 12-33 and page 12-34. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to ask a question to the Minister on the support for commercial harvesting and processing and marketing fish and meat in the Territories. We have heard it on the news and my colleague Jane Groenewegen has talked about it.
I want to ask the Minister, we have world-class fishing here in Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake and other areas in the North here. We have some money here allocated to the marketing of fish and the meat. We heard from the news report the fishermen’s situation. We also heard from our colleague here. I want to ask the Minister if we are making headway on this initiative here. I’d certainly like to see some of our foods in the stores or even again in our institutions here. Especially with the fish and the market and the meat.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a clarification. Did the Member want me to comment on the $225,000 to commercial fisheries or is he talking about the commercial harvest processing and marketing of fish and meat, the $550,000 on page 12-34? I just wanted to get some clarification.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. I’ll have the Member respond to that. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The $550,000.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The $550,000 is for marketing of fish and meat in the NWT. We’ve seen some of that money get spread around the Northwest Territories into all five regions. I can get a breakdown for the Member if he likes. It’s the promotion and support of commercial harvesting, processing and marketing of fish and meat in the NWT. It will increase the availability of locally produced and healthy food in NWT communities. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Ramsay. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I look forward to the Minister providing that to me sometime. I certainly appreciate that. I want to ask about this, because at the Grey Goose Lodge in Deline we have a world-class lake there with fish and they don’t really serve the Great Bear Lake trout at the restaurant. We have to go to the store and buy Captain Highliner’s cod fish and chips there. Why are we not having the fish from Great Bear Lake served at that lodge or wherever? Why do they have to go to the Northern Store to buy Captain Highliner’s cod fish? There’s something wrong there.
I agree with the Member; there is something wrong with that. I’ve had trout from Great Bear Lake and I can attest to that. That’s some of the best trout you’ll ever eat.
In the last fiscal year, ’11-12, we provided through the program just $28,000 to the Deline Land Corporation for a feasibility study on meat and fish processing in the community, and also to the Deline Land Corporation $120,000 for the construction of a meat and fish processing plant. So we’ve gotten some of that money out the door and we’re hoping it will make a difference and we’ll get some of that Great Bear trout into some homes in the communities in the Sahtu and around the territory. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Again, committee, pages 12-32, 12-33 and 12-34. Economic diversification and business support, activity summary, grants and contributions, grants, $625,000.
Agreed.
Contributions, total contributions, $13,043, total grants and contributions, $13.686 million.
Agreed.
Thank you. Page 12-35, information item, economic diversification and business support, active positions. Any questions?
Agreed.
Page 12-36, information item, least commitments, infrastructure. Any questions?
Agreed.
Page 12-37, information item, Fur Marketing Service Revolving Fund. Any questions?
Agreed.
Pages 12-38 and 12-39. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you. Under page 12-37, Mr. Chair, the repayment of the fur account loan. I see we’re in the bracket here. There’s $1.1 million. Why is that?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe I had a similar question on this page when I was going through with the folks from ITI, but we’ll allow Ms. Magrum to answer the question. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Ramsay. Ms. Magrum.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. When a trapper brings their fur into the ENR office, they’re provided an advance payment on that fur. After the fur sale, that fur advance is repaid to the department. That $1.1 million in brackets is the repayment of the fur advance. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Magrum. Mr. Yakeleya. Pages 12-38 and 12-39, information item, work performed on behalf of others. Any questions?
Agreed.
Due to the deferral, committee, on page 12-17, does the committee agree that we will defer the final consideration of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. I’d like to thank Minister Ramsay, Mr. Vician and Ms. Magrum for their time this evening. I’ll ask the Sergeant-at-Arms if he’ll escort the witnesses out of the Chamber.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, committee.
Okay, committee, moving on. We’re going to be dealing with section 5 on NWT Housing Corporation. Does the Minister of the Housing Corporation have any opening comments?
Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.
Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Please proceed, Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the 2012-13 Main Estimates for the NWT Housing Corporation. The main estimates propose a budget of $113.209 million, an increase of 0.3 percent from the 2011-2012 Main Estimates.
The budget includes a contribution of $65.458 million from the GNWT for 2012-2013. As Members are aware, one of the five priorities identified by the 17th Legislative Assembly was to address housing needs. Housing is a complex issue in many of our communities. There are significant differences in housing needs and challenges between our market and non-market communities, and there are needs along the entire housing continuum from homelessness to home ownership. Our approach to housing should strengthen self-reliance and support residents in meeting their own shelter needs, but also needs to recognize the importance of housing in supporting community sustainability, contributing to efforts to reduce poverty and to reflect the linkages between housing and education and health issues.
Of course, these challenges need to be addressed in the context of declining federal funding to support social housing in the Northwest Territories. Public housing continues to be the largest program offered by the NWT Housing Corp with approximately 2,400 units and planned expenditures of $43.9 million in 2012-2013.
A number of actions are being taken in 2012-13 to improve public housing. The new rent scale will be implemented on July 1, 2012, and will make rents simpler, more predictable and fairer. This new rent scale also addresses a disincentive to work that has long been a standing concern.
In 2012-13 over $15 million will be spent to improve the quality of our public housing stock. This will include 26 public housing replacements, 130 major retrofits and a variety of minor maintenance and improvement projects. These investments build on the $141 million we have invested in public housing stock over the past six years.
The 2012-13 budget also contains a $2.4 million forced growth investment to offset the increased utility costs related to public housing. While some successes have been achieved on the consumption side with the energy investments and investments in upgraded stock, these don’t completely offset the rising costs for utilities. An additional $700,000 has been identified to continue the energy upgrades on public housing during 2012-13.
Finally, the budget also contains an investment of $511,000 to support the operating costs of 27 additional public housing units that have been added in Gameti, Wekweeti, Whati, Jean Marie River, Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte.
In support of home ownership in the Northwest Territories, the NWT Housing Corp will spend approximately $10 million in 2012-13. A new emergency repair program called SAFE will be introduced and $1 million has been allocated to support this program. SAFE provides support to low and modest income homeowners to address emergency repair situations like freeze-ups, heating system failures and major electrical problems. Unlike other NWT Housing Corp repair programs, this program will be available at any time during the year. There will be a streamlined application process and the eligibility criteria will be broader than for most programs.
Changes will also be made to the CARE program during 2012-13. That will expand accessibility to the preventative maintenance activities for low-income homeowners. Overall, the CARE program will help about 300 homeowners complete repairs to their homes during 2012-13. In addition to the public housing program during 2012-13, the NWT will spend about $5.9 million supporting other rental housing. This spending includes administration and maintenance associated with 117 market rentals, 335 households operating under our HELP and Supported Lease programs and 483 homes operated by community-based organizations.
This year we are also introducing the Transitional Rent Supplement Program. This Rent Supplement Program will provide financial support to reduce the affordability problems and core need among residents and market rentals. The Rent Supplement Program will provide clients with up to $500 per month for a two-year period. The subsidy will be paid directly to landlords. This program will address a gap in the housing continuum, identified during the shelter policy review related to the high shelter costs for the working poor living in market rentals. We expect the $1.2 million investment will provide assistance to approximately 175 households. Implementation will start in September and we are planning a quarterly phase-in to ensure continuous uptake.
Starting in 2012-13, the NWT Housing Corporation has taken over responsibility for the administration of the Homelessness Assistance Fund and the Small Community Homelessness Fund. These main estimates reflect the transfer of $325,000 for these two programs from the Department of Health and Social Services. A homelessness coordinator will be added in 2012-13. In addition to being responsible for the administration of these two programs, this position will act as a focal point for the GNWT homelessness activities. The individual will work with federal funding agencies, community groups, and coordinate with other GNWT departments that support programs to address homelessness by chairing the GNWT Homelessness Committee.
Two additional priorities during 2012-13 will be to complete an evaluation of the two programs being transferred from Health and Social Services and work with smaller communities on homelessness activities. Work will also be done to continue advanced planning for the NWT Housing Corporation investments in Betty House, the planned 30-unit transition home for women and children in Yellowknife.
In 2012-13, there will also be a number of other activities planned to help strengthen management of our housing program. For example, on April 1st, we introduced our new territorial housing system which is a centralized information management system that dramatically increases our capacity to monitor and manage our programs. This new system provides real time information on key indicators like waiting lists, rent collection and arrears and occupancy.
A new Maintenance Management Program will be developed during 2012-13. These systems lower the workload of our community partners, the local housing organizations and allow the NWT Housing Corporation to better support them. The main estimates also include increased capacity for training and workshops with LHO staff, and during this year, opportunities for bulk purchasing, will be examined to lower overall operating costs. A broad base examination will also be undertaken on the approach to the delivery of housing services at a community level. This will include looking at roles and responsibilities and a funding model for LHOs.
On the revenue side, as it was noted previously, our efforts to address housing needs are further challenged by the declining federal funding for operating social housing. As Members know, the GNWT will see reduced annual funding of $2.1 million over the life of this Assembly as part of the ongoing declines that we will see all federal funding for operating social housing eliminated by 2037-38. For these main estimates, an investment of $990,000 was made by the GNWT to offset the federal decline in 2012-13.
The other major revenue change relates to an additional investment of $1 million made by the GNWT to offset the initial revenue decline expected with the implementation of the new public housing rent scale.
That concludes my opening remarks. At this time I would be pleased to answer any questions the committee may have.
